CTE Diagnoses Common Among Pro Football Players

CTE Diagnoses Common Among Pro Football Players

Yet another professional football player has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), this time posthumously. The Cleveland Browns’ “Mr. Reliable” died in 2018, but his wife noticed his deteriorating mental state decades before.

Jim Houston’s wife took care of her husband for years, tracking his symptoms and keeping note of his doctor’s appointments, diagnoses, and medications. This information helped her gain support from the NFL, which uses its 88 Plan to assist former players.

Unfortunately, gaining this support is not always as straightforward. Football players and their families often face difficulties when seeking disability insurance.

What Is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)?

According to ABC News:

“CTE is a degenerative brain disease known to cause memory loss, violent mood swings, motor difficulties and other cognitive problems in football players and other athletes or military combat veterans who have experienced repetitive head trauma.”

CTE’s Effect on “Mr. Reliable”

Jim Houston never missed a game, but he was deeply concerned about head injuries, especially with his 3 sons and 4 grandsons, all of whom played football. Before CTE set in, he was heavily involved in the community. Even as he suffered CTE symptoms, he signed cards, footballs, and helmets until he could not anymore.

Ms. Houston had “Mr. Reliable” admitted to an assisted living facility on June 5, 2017. To this day, she cannot watch football games.

Darryl Ashmore: A Similar Story

At Dabdoub Law Firm, we are very familiar with the injuries that affect pro football players and have actively litigated against the NFL. When former NFL star, Darryl Ashmore, requested long-term disability benefits for his chronic pain conditions, the NFL created obstacle after obstacle and finally denied his claim.

Once this occurred, Mr. Ashmore came to our firm and we helped him file an appeal. When this appeal was denied, we filed a lawsuit on Mr. Ashmore’s behalf. After the NFL tried and failed to shut our suit down, a judge ordered the league to pay $218,000 in owed and future disability benefits and $16,400 to account for the unfair delay.

We are proud to have helped Darryl Ashmore and remain available for professional football players and athletes affected by chronic pain, CTE, and other brain diseases (i.e. migraines, Alzheimer’s, dementia).

Help from a Lawyer with Expertise in Disability Insurance

Disability insurance law is complex, so you need to hire an experienced disability attorney. Because all disability lawyers at our law firm focus on exclusively disability insurance claims, we have developed expertise in this complex field of law.

That means we have:

  1. Experience with every major disability insurance company
  2. A proven track record of success in major disability lawsuits
  3. Recovered millions of dollars in disability benefits for clients

Additionally, we never charge legal fees unless our clients get paid.

Dabdoub Law Firm can help you at any stage of the disability insurance claims process, including:

Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, our lawyers can represent clients across the country.

Call (800) 969-0488 to speak with an experienced disability attorney. Consultations are free and you can request one online today.

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